Homebirth in a condo. - Page 2

[BK Mommy]

We lived on the top floor of a 5th floor walk-up brownstone.  The building was old and I always had the feeling that the staircase would just give spontaneously one day.  Ha ha.

We too had cranky neighbors and I remember reading that other mamas have left bottles of wine outside the door of neighbors with notes that say "The baby is coming soon.  Hope this wine will drown out any strange sounds that come from our apartment."  Then I remembered how awful my neighbors were and planned to just leave a note on our door saying "Yes, we are having a planned homebirth. No need to call 911."  But in the end, we didn't do any of these things.  And I was not a quiet mama.  Not one person said a thing to us after.  So like others have said, "who cares what your neighbors think" and they probably won't even know.

Good luck to you!

[Adaline'sMama]

Originally Posted by Mama Soltera 

I strongly agree with not answering your door while laboring (and having a door monitor just to be safe), but I strongly disagree that you should advertise a birth is taking place. For me, I loved advertising my homebirths AFTER they were done. But before (and maybe this sounds hokey) I only wanted people knowing about it who would be completely supportive and positive about it. I felt like I really didn't need anyone's negative vibes or fears as part of my birth. I think it is a sacred and private event and it's best to keep the energy inward (as in in the immediate birthing circle). 

As you've read so many women who were extremely loud (including me) had neighbors who had no idea a birth ever took place. I think if you'd like to, you could put a sign on the door that says "Do not disturb," like at a motel. Maybe if people hear screaming and moaning they'll just think you're having sex. ;)  lol 

Or being beaten...

That would be my main concern, that I would say something to DH like "Don't touch me" or that it would somehow sound like a domestic violence issue and I'd have cops beating down my door. 

[meesh933]

I had my 3rd child, 2nd homebirth in a crappy little apartment. Thankfully for us, the people upstairs moved 2 weeks before he was born, so it was empty. But there were 2 other unit that we routinely heard noises from, and they didn't seem to notice. And I was LOUD. And in labor for 23 hours, the worst of it from 7 pm - 3 am when he was born.

I was really freaked out about the cops or EMS showing up at the door if the neighbors heard me, but in the end it worked out just fine.

[littlefee]

I had a home birth in an apartment that shares walls with three neighbors.  We decided to let them know about our plan beforehand, and they all thanked us for letting them know so that they wouldn't worry if they heard me making noise.  And when the time came, there was definitely noise, until 2 am.  When I saw one of the neighbors a few days later and told her I hoped we hadn't bothered her, she looked totally traumatized and muttered that it was fine.  Oh well!  You have the right to give birth in your home!

[BK Mommy]

Our dd was born in new York but I'm from Alaska too! Born and raised there. Just think it is neat when I see another Alaskan out in the world, even if it is online! Cheers!

[alaskanmomma]

I am still gong-ho on a homebirth.. sorry, but I'm NOT a mom who likes cars while in labor. 

It looks like we MAY be considering moving, depends on a couple of factors, but if we don't move... oh freakin well. These neighbors are ridiculous.. I really am at the point I don't care about them at all right now lol

BK Mommy, woah small world! Where from? I'm from Eagle River, lived in Wasilla, living in Anchorage.

[LightForest]

I was a little worried about the neighbors when I was planning DD's birth. At the time we lived in a teeny NYC apartment in a big building, so there were plenty of people who could have heard something and wondered WTH was going on. BUT my neighbors were rather oblivious, which I'm sure worked in my favor. I ended up laboring for about 14 hours, including 2 hours of pushing (baby was born at 4am), but I wasn't a noisy birther. The bulk of the noise was coming from all the visitors crammed into our apartment, talking and having a nice time :)

The next evening I ran into a neighbor (his apartment shared a wall with our bedroom where I had the baby), and he was confused, asking when I'd had the baby because I didn't look pregnant all of the sudden! I asked if he didn't hear any noise coming from our apartment the night before, and he claimed to have not heard a peep. Go figure.

This time around we live in a condo with neighbors above and below. I suspect I will give them a heads up at some point, but I'm not as stressed over it as I was with my first HB.